Luo Ding's attendance this time had increased his popularity compared to the anniversary celebration of "Trend."
Many of the guests present were the same as those at the anniversary celebration. When Luo Ding arrived, several guests he had conversed with at the previous event quickly came over to greet him.
Although Pan Yiming hadn't made it into the film industry yet, her position in the television industry was not low. It was quite unexpected for Luo Ding to invite her as his companion. The news of the filming of "Tang Chuan" was not a secret in the industry, and the news of Luo Ding's role as Fu Zhu in "Tang Chuan" was gradually becoming known. However, a minor supporting role like Luo Ding and Pan Yiming, who was the female lead, at most had a few scenes together. Pan Yiming didn't have many friends in the industry, especially male friends, and she paid attention to maintaining the boundary between friendship and relationship to avoid scandals. Apart from special events like red carpet awards, she rarely appeared alone with male friends. What kind of personal relationship did Luo Ding have with Pan Yiming to make her ignore the tongues of the tabloid reporters and accompany him as his companion?
Privately, everyone exchanged glances, and although they saw Luo Ding and Pan Yiming interacting intimately but without any ambiguity, they could also perceive that their relationship was based on friendship. People like Gong Liangguang, Wu Yuan, Duan Xiubo, and Pan Yiming were not easily manipulated characters, but since Luo Ding appeared in the public eye, it seemed like they were all happy to be his backers.
Standing under the lights with a posture as upright as a birch tree, Luo Ding seemed different from his usual slightly youthful and pure silence. From the moment he entered the banquet, Pan Yiming felt that his aura had changed. Steady, reserved, gentle, and leisurely, he remained silent, but it was evidently different from the lazy silence he displayed in private.
Pan Yiming couldn't help but sneak a glance at him. This was the strange thing about Luo Ding that often puzzled her: even though she was much older than him, whenever they were together, she always felt like the younger one. It wasn't because she was shameless or too self-absorbed, but because Luo Ding's aura was so mature. He didn't seem like a young man in his twenties at all! She could feel that his calm and composed demeanor in the face of those experienced industry insiders was not a pretense, and the distinction between confidence and arrogance was clear to perceptive eyes like hers.
Ji Jia, being someone who loves to play, naturally couldn't host a private party as formal as the "Trend" annual event. The age range of the attendees was noticeably younger, mostly consisting of young men and women between the ages of twenty and thirty-five. The dim lighting, dense music like a drumbeat, and everyone's playful mood created a lively atmosphere where groups of friends, both familiar and unfamiliar, gathered to chat, drink champagne, and dance.
"Luo Ding!" Ji Jia's voice came through the noise, carrying his characteristic husky tone.
Luo Ding turned around and noticed that he was wearing a playful dark green suit today. The other person seemed to have had a few drinks, and his eyes were shining like flames, completely focused on Luo Ding. As he approached, he noticed Pan Yiming holding onto Luo Ding's arm. He raised his eyebrows slightly and grinned broadly, "With a beauty by your side, you're truly fortunate!"
Luo Ding smiled faintly and subtly avoided the other person's attempt to put his arm around his waist as they shook hands. "Miss Pan kindly took care of me. Your words make it sound impure."
Ji Jia hit a soft nail, squinting as he stared into Luo Ding's cool and watery eyes, feeling an intense itch in his heart. But no matter how intense the itch, he didn't dare to make any rash moves after being rejected. Ji Jia didn't know what was wrong with him. Clearly, he had pursued numerous big-name stars in the industry, but in front of Luo Ding, he always couldn't help but show his timidity.
He could only laugh it off and pretend not to care, giving himself a way out, "Impure? You're looking for purity from me is wishful thinking!"
After laughing, he went to greet Pan Yiming again, his eyes seeming to linger on Pan Yiming's delicate hand hanging on Luo Ding's arm, his fingers rubbing against each other behind his back becoming increasingly heavy.
"The ball will start in ten minutes." After a moment, his smile became ambiguous, pointing backwards, "Would you two like to rest in the backyard first?"
The backyard was unbelievably spacious, with a pool raised above the ground made of semi-transparent glass, giving it a charming texture. The lights on both sides reflected on the water's surface, shining on the faces of the guests on either side, giving them the illusion of snorkeling.
A corner was divided into a resting area, and the separate small tables were already half-filled. Thinking of the high heels on Pan Yiming's feet, no less than ten centimeters high, Luo Ding escorted her to sit here.
Their arrival attracted many eyes, and not long after they sat down, a man in an Armani suit approached and patted Pan Yiming's shoulder.
Seeing the newcomer, the smile disappeared from Pan Yiming's eyes. "Mr. Lu?"
Luo Ding immediately noticed the change in her expression, and he looked at the newcomer. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a perm of brown short curls. He was well-dressed, wearing a watch worth nearly eight digits on his wrist.
He didn't look like a media person, nor an artist, and his temperament was definitely not that of an artist. Apart from being a wealthy playboy, there was no other possibility.
Lu Yuan stared at Pan Yiming, his smile carrying a hint of infatuation. "Miss Pan, we meet again. You're becoming more beautiful. The dress you're wearing today suits you very well."
Pan Yiming frowned slightly, politely nodding. This man named Lu Yuan had been pursuing her since six years ago, and his methods were quite aggressive. He used to send truckloads of roses to her filming locations every day to express his love. Pan Yiming was almost moved for a while, but later she heard about Lu's family history of making money through the underworld. As the fourth young master of the Lu family, he had been mingling with thugs since he was a child, smoking, drinking, doing drugs, and gambling, with no restraint at all. Such a person, no matter how rich, was just a dead end.
Little did she know, Lu Yuan initially only had a playful attitude, but after being rejected by Pan Yiming, he became serious. He promised cars, villas, yachts, and planes one after another, but as Pan Yiming distanced herself more and more, this jerk became more and more interested.
Lu Yuan stared at Pan Yiming's smile, feeling empty in his heart. The influence of the An Group was too great, and he didn't dare to offend An Hesheng for a woman. But experiencing the feeling of rejection for the first time in many years, Pan Yiming was like the elusive white rose he couldn't forget for a lifetime.
Now, after finally seeing her again, she was intimate with a young pretty boy. Lu Yuan's heart felt like it was on fire, making him unable to calm down no matter what.
Luo Ding noticed that Pan Yiming didn't want to interact with the other person, so he quickly stood up and helped her to her feet, subtly shielding her behind his arm.
Lu Yuan suddenly grabbed Luo Ding's arm, his expression turning unfriendly. "Who are you?"
Luo Ding turned his head, his lips curled into a smile. His eyes, devoid of warmth, felt like sharp blades piercing into Lu Yuan's eyes, instantly making him instinctively withdraw his hand as if he had been burned.
"I'm Luo Ding." Luo Ding adjusted the slightly wrinkled cuff of his sleeve and smiled, extending his hand. "Hello, Mr. Lu."
Lu Yuan's heart was still pounding, and he looked at the young man in front of him with some surprise. They were about the same age, but he felt intimidated as if he were facing his father or older brother.
Subconsciously shaking hands with the other party, Lu Yuan regained his composure and felt both angry and embarrassed. He stared at Luo Ding's eyes, almost spewing fire.
His group of buddies behind him had already noticed that something was wrong here and gathered around, standing behind Lu Yuan with puzzled expressions.
Luo Ding raised his eyebrows, about to speak, but suddenly felt a heavy pressure on his shoulder, and a strong arm pressed down on him from behind.
Duan Xiubo's voice, accompanied by a smile, sounded from above, slightly husky. "Don't move. There are too many people. Pan Yiming just hid in the innermost rest area. She'll be fine."
With the pushing and shoving around them, Luo Ding didn't have time to respond. He felt someone bump into him hard, and the space behind him became narrower and narrower. He was directly squeezed into Duan Xiubo's embrace.
Duan Xiubo's low, husky laughter, accompanied by the trembling of his chest, reached Luo Ding's ears. He hadn't had time to struggle, but suddenly felt his shoulder being held down by another hand.
Ji Jia's husky voice sounded in the darkness, "Haha, I've got you!"
Luo Ding's attendance this time had increased his popularity compared to the anniversary celebration of "Trend."
Many of the guests present were the same as those at the anniversary celebration. When Luo Ding arrived, several guests he had conversed with at the previous event quickly came over to greet him.
Although Pan Yiming hadn't made it into the film industry yet, her position in the television industry was not low. It was quite unexpected for Luo Ding to invite her as his companion. The news of the filming of "Tang Chuan" was not a secret in the industry, and the news of Luo Ding's role as Fu Zhu in "Tang Chuan" was gradually becoming known. However, a minor supporting role like Luo Ding and Pan Yiming, who was the female lead, at most had a few scenes together. Pan Yiming didn't have many friends in the industry, especially male friends, and she paid attention to maintaining the boundary between friendship and relationship to avoid scandals. Apart from special events like red carpet awards, she rarely appeared alone with male friends. What kind of personal relationship did Luo Ding have with Pan Yiming to make her ignore the tongues of the tabloid reporters and accompany him as his companion?
Privately, everyone exchanged glances, and although they saw Luo Ding and Pan Yiming interacting intimately but without any ambiguity, they could also perceive that their relationship was based on friendship. People like Gong Liangguang, Wu Yuan, Duan Xiubo, and Pan Yiming were not easily manipulated characters, but since Luo Ding appeared in the public eye, it seemed like they were all happy to be his backers.
Standing under the lights with a posture as upright as a birch tree, Luo Ding seemed different from his usual slightly youthful and pure silence. From the moment he entered the banquet, Pan Yiming felt that his aura had changed. Steady, reserved, gentle, and leisurely, he remained silent, but it was evidently different from the lazy silence he displayed in private.
Pan Yiming couldn't help but sneak a glance at him. This was the strange thing about Luo Ding that often puzzled her: even though she was much older than him, whenever they were together, she always felt like the younger one. It wasn't because she was shameless or too self-absorbed, but because Luo Ding's aura was so mature. He didn't seem like a young man in his twenties at all! She could feel that his calm and composed demeanor in the face of those experienced industry insiders was not a pretense, and the distinction between confidence and arrogance was clear to perceptive eyes like hers.
Ji Jia, being someone who loves to play, naturally couldn't host a private party as formal as the "Trend" annual event. The age range of the attendees was noticeably younger, mostly consisting of young men and women between the ages of twenty and thirty-five. The dim lighting, dense music like a drumbeat, and everyone's playful mood created a lively atmosphere where groups of friends, both familiar and unfamiliar, gathered to chat, drink champagne, and dance.
"Luo Ding!" Ji Jia's voice came through the noise, carrying his characteristic husky tone.
Luo Ding turned around and noticed that he was wearing a playful dark green suit today. The other person seemed to have had a few drinks, and his eyes were shining like flames, completely focused on Luo Ding. As he approached, he noticed Pan Yiming holding onto Luo Ding's arm. He raised his eyebrows slightly and grinned broadly, "With a beauty by your side, you're truly fortunate!"
Luo Ding smiled faintly and subtly avoided the other person's attempt to put his arm around his waist as they shook hands. "Miss Pan kindly took care of me. Your words make it sound impure."
Ji Jia hit a soft nail, squinting as he stared into Luo Ding's cool and watery eyes, feeling an intense itch in his heart. But no matter how intense the itch, he didn't dare to make any rash moves after being rejected. Ji Jia didn't know what was wrong with him. Clearly, he had pursued numerous big-name stars in the industry, but in front of Luo Ding, he always couldn't help but show his timidity.
He could only laugh it off and pretend not to care, giving himself a way out, "Impure? You're looking for purity from me is wishful thinking!"
After laughing, he went to greet Pan Yiming again, his eyes seeming to linger on Pan Yiming's delicate hand hanging on Luo Ding's arm, his fingers rubbing against each other behind his back becoming increasingly heavy.
"The ball will start in ten minutes." After a moment, his smile became ambiguous, pointing backwards, "Would you two like to rest in the backyard first?"
The backyard was unbelievably spacious, with a pool raised above the ground made of semi-transparent glass, giving it a charming texture. The lights on both sides reflected on the water's surface, shining on the faces of the guests on either side, giving them the illusion of snorkeling.
A corner was divided into a resting area, and the separate small tables were already half-filled. Thinking of the high heels on Pan Yiming's feet, no less than ten centimeters high, Luo Ding escorted her to sit here.
Their arrival attracted many eyes, and not long after they sat down, a man in an Armani suit approached and patted Pan Yiming's shoulder.
Seeing the newcomer, the smile disappeared from Pan Yiming's eyes. "Mr. Lu?"
Luo Ding immediately noticed the change in her expression, and he looked at the newcomer. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a perm of brown short curls. He was well-dressed, wearing a watch worth nearly eight digits on his wrist.
He didn't look like a media person, nor an artist, and his temperament was definitely not that of an artist. Apart from being a wealthy playboy, there was no other possibility.
Lu Yuan stared at Pan Yiming, his smile carrying a hint of infatuation. "Miss Pan, we meet again. You're becoming more beautiful. The dress you're wearing today suits you very well."
Pan Yiming frowned slightly, politely nodding. This man named Lu Yuan had been pursuing her since six years ago, and his methods were quite aggressive. He used to send truckloads of roses to her filming locations every day to express his love. Pan Yiming was almost moved for a while, but later she heard about Lu's family history of making money through the underworld. As the fourth young master of the Lu family, he had been mingling with thugs since he was a child, smoking, drinking, doing drugs, and gambling, with no restraint at all. Such a person, no matter how rich, was just a dead end.
Little did she know, Lu Yuan initially only had a playful attitude, but after being rejected by Pan Yiming, he became serious. He promised cars, villas, yachts, and planes one after another, but as Pan Yiming distanced herself more and more, this jerk became more and more interested.
Lu Yuan stared at Pan Yiming's smile, feeling empty in his heart. The influence of the An Group was too great, and he didn't dare to offend An Hesheng for a woman. But experiencing the feeling of rejection for the first time in many years, Pan Yiming was like the elusive white rose he couldn't forget for a lifetime.
Now, after finally seeing her again, she was intimate with a young pretty boy. Lu Yuan's heart felt like it was on fire, making him unable to calm down no matter what.
Luo Ding noticed that Pan Yiming didn't want to interact with the other person, so he quickly stood up and helped her to her feet, subtly shielding her behind his arm.
Lu Yuan suddenly grabbed Luo Ding's arm, his expression turning unfriendly. "Who are you?"
Luo Ding turned his head, his lips curled into a smile. His eyes, devoid of warmth, felt like sharp blades piercing into Lu Yuan's eyes, instantly making him instinctively withdraw his hand as if he had been burned.
"I'm Luo Ding." Luo Ding adjusted the slightly wrinkled cuff of his sleeve and smiled, extending his hand. "Hello, Mr. Lu."
Lu Yuan's heart was still pounding, and he looked at the young man in front of him with some surprise. They were about the same age, but he felt intimidated as if he were facing his father or older brother.
Subconsciously shaking hands with the other party, Lu Yuan regained his composure and felt both angry and embarrassed. He stared at Luo Ding's eyes, almost spewing fire.
His group of buddies behind him had already noticed that something was wrong here and gathered around, standing behind Lu Yuan with puzzled expressions.
Luo Ding raised his eyebrows, about to speak, but suddenly felt a heavy pressure on his shoulder, and a strong arm pressed down on him from behind.
Duan Xiubo's voice, accompanied by a smile, sounded from above, slightly husky. "Don't move. There are too many people. Pan Yiming just hid in the innermost rest area. She'll be fine."
With the pushing and shoving around them, Luo Ding didn't have time to respond. He felt someone bump into him hard, and the space behind him became narrower and narrower. He was directly squeezed into Duan Xiubo's embrace.
Duan Xiubo's low, husky laughter, accompanied by the trembling of his chest, reached Luo Ding's ears. He hadn't had time to struggle, but suddenly felt his shoulder being held down by another hand.
Ji Jia's husky voice sounded in the darkness, "Haha, I've got you!"
